Wheel structure



June 4, 1946. "e. A. LYON WHEEL STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 14, 1 945 ru al-1 Q1 @[OEGE 625527 Zra/v W mg.

, retained'on a wheel.

removal of one of the part with facility-when struction. u

operate with nested; marginal por'tions vof the cover parts 'inysuch'a manner t-hat'the means.

' and yet}pern1itsot theirem'oval .of' one of the to theprovision of an annular cdver part or ring 1 apertures. andj-also'iordetachable retaining en zasenientswithan edgeot -aihnbm part-posi; I I

tioned over the-centerof therring'; the retaining 4Q erence character i5 and which, as shown; courwheel and also'to hold that partin placeQduring the time that the central hubv 'ca'p p'art i.

therebehind; and

l a tente cl June I ST T S A FIF E.

2,461,492" ,WnaELsmUc'rURE jf I;GeorgealbertLyom'AllenhurstNJ. Aiitflesnbn October-L14, 194's; SerialNo. 506,174 p A H I i This inventlon 'relates to a'wheel structurejand more particularly to a 'multipart cover; novelly showing-how the nestedcover parts co-operate An object or this-invention is, to provide v improved and simplified structure forjh'oldi'ng a 6 multipart. cover structure on a-wheel; j T Another object of this invention is ;to pi'ovide a wheel cover-structure which permitsfl ot the he @Qti' i es s wing a Dry-01f .tool applied "thecover, 1 I v: v

" A's shown-oaths v v :a inultiilange drop center' or" conventional ever it is desired to get to the undersldeotthat ,lo tire rim which isadapted to supportiin theusual part. I 7., I

Still another object of this invention is-to' provide a novel internestin structure fo'r afplurality of concentric-cover partsin awheel 'confusu'alvalvej 'stem 8 ,,exte'nding through aperjture-in'oneof'the flanges or the tire rim.

a 1 v 1Q able-unconventional manner to a central load Inaccordancewith the generalleaturesiof this *bearingor body member sometimes referred to invention there ispr'ovid'edgin a iav'heelzstructure;- as aspider and which is designated generally by including a tire rim and body, jconce'ntric cover the'reierence character ll.v This spideris usually members disposed in nested'relatio jon the wheel, madefrom aimetallic stamping'and has a central one of thesemembers'being.offset-adjacent the 80 depressed section I! provided with the usual wheel fastening bolts (not shown) for attaching other to provide a space, between the meinbers V the wheel to a support on the axle or the like.

for the reception ot'theend of a'pry-ofl' tool' for'prying 011' one of, the mem'lce'rs' oil"the-wheel without releasing thefothermemb'er; v 3 3 I t be accessible when it is desired to remove the Still another lfeaturexofthe invention relates 25 wheel irom'its support as in the case of a flat to the provision" of' -retai'ning means fora 'multire or the like. a

tiple part cover structure wherein'themeansco- Attached to the depressed central section l2 of I spaced retaining elements or spring clips i3 is in retaining engagement withboth the parts which may be of any suitable number such; for example, as three or five, as desired, The clips parts without disturbing'the-other part; illustrated are of the 'type now known in' the A- still' further feature ortheiinventionrelates pressureon the cover part to be retained. taining -.engagement with-an ledge ofr'each of the prises an outerring' part 14' and a central, hub cap part l6.- Both parts may be. made of metal or, if it is so desired, they may be. made of a app'liedtoor removed fromthe wheeL [suitable synthetic plastic material having the Otherohjects and'features off-this invention requisite rigid chara'cteristics The outer edge will more fullyappear'tron i'the following detailed description taken in-connection'withithe acoompanying drawing which'illustrates "asingle embodiment thereof, and onwhichr meansserving to center'the cover part on the "with'tl7i e.common retaining means .on the wheel;

The reterence icharacter lll-desienatessenerally I way-falpne'iimaticfltube tirelequipp'e'd with the The tire rimm'ember is attached in any. suit- I is acover'structur'e mbodying the features-of this invention "designated generally by the ref'- t n t e line II-II of Figure 'r v l 1 0311 in the direction indicated by the arrows art'as an inverted type clip and each includes a nee extremity in-the form of a goose-neck or I having ap rt reszinfli sinner-"margin through 85 loop so formed a to exert a cam-like wedsins' j which'spring-flng'ers on a. wheel-project ior-re- I of the trimj ringjll is slightly turned at If! and h is adaptedjto overhang the outermost edge'ofgv the tire rin-i'"l0..-' Also the ring is of a zconvexs.

concavecross-sectional contour such asltd cause I Figure 1 is a side elevationofawheel structure 0. it to appear to be a continuation of'the'Ecurvaembodying the features of this invention wit the central-hub cap part partly broken away to show the position of the retaining means to cause it toappear to be part of the side wall of the -tire,i'n whichcase the effect is'thatof Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross- 56 a much larger tire thanwhat is actually used.

ture of the side wall of the tire 9. By givingthisring a suitable light external finish it 'is possible minates in a turned edge 20. This flange is provided with a plurality of apertures 2| corresponding in number to the number of spring clips, through each of which a spring clip l3 extends. The radially inner leg of the spring clip isposi- 4 wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and body, concentric cover members disposed in tioned for retaining contact with the radially inner edge of the corresponding aperture as shownin Figure 2. v

The inner marginal portion of the ring .ll also has'an oil'set shoulder 22 which causes the'rln at the locale of the offset to be-spacedfrom the skirt. of the hub cap l5. This spaceuis lex- ,pressly provided for the purpose of permitting the nested relation on the wheel, one of said members'being offset adjacent the other to provide a space between said members for the reception of the end of a pry-off tool for prying one or said members of! the wheel without releasing the other member, and means on the wheel body adjacent said offset for retaining the cover membars on the wheel comprising a plurality of problunt end or a pry-oil tool such as the tool P to be inserted therein in the prying of the hub cap out of retained engagement with the spring clips The inner marginal edge of the skirt 28 is formed into a bead-turned at 2! which is seated against the offset flangell of the, ring part M axially inwardly of the onset shoulder 22. This turned edge is adapted to be retainingly en jections extending through apertures in one of said members and in retaining contact with each of said cover members.

2. Ina wheel structure including a tire rim and body, concentric cover members disposed in nested relation on the wheel, one of said members being offset adjacent the other to provide aspace between said members for the reception of the end of a pry-oiX-tool for prying one of .saidzmembers oil the wheel without releasing the other member, and means on the wheel body adjacent said oifset for retaining the cover members on thewheel comprising a plurality of progaged and wedged by the outermost turnedextremity 25 of the clip 13 tightly against the oilset flange IQ of the ring. and in that way the hub cap serves to clamp thejring against the wheel.

By reason of the use of .the so-called inverted type of spring clip, the hub cap it may be easily pressed axially-into retained engagement withthe turned extremities of'the clips but is more dimcult to remove-than to apply, In other wordsthe spring clips it are lot-the, type that permit ofan easy-on hard-off operation.

Since the inner turned edge ll of the hub cap it is yleldably supported'on the resilient free extremities 25 of, the-clips i3, it is of course apparent that cushioned en'gagemerit'is provided between the clips and both cover'memberswhereby both cover members are resiliently heldagainst the wheel bodymember H inside of the depressed section I! adjacent the'm'edial plane of thewheel.

Furthermore, by reason of the fact that the radially innermost legs of each of the clips II contact the inner edges of the apertures 2| in the inner flange I! of the ring ll, the clips serveto center the ring and also to retain thering in position while the hub cap is beingremoved from or applied to the wheel. It is of course further evident that since the clipsextend through-openings 2| in the ring part i4, they prevent-turning.v of; thering part on the wheel.- It. will be. perceivedfrom Figure' 2 that-theprys jections extending through apertures in one of said members and in retaining contact with each of said cover members, said retaining means comprising a plurality'of spring clips, each offwhich has a resilient loop extremity with one leg of the loop-in :contact wlthone of said members and the other-leg in contact'withthe other member.

.;3.- In a wheel structure including a tire rim and-body,concentric cover members disposed in ,nested relatlon on v the wheelpone of said members comprising a-ring andthe other member comprising a hub cap with the outer margin of; the

hub cap positioned, for clamping co-operation against the inner margin of the ring, and re taining means onthe wheel body for said cover member comprising a plurality oi spring clips,

each of whichhas a resilient loop extremity with one leg of the loop in contactwith the inner margin of the ring and with the. other leg in contact I with theouter margin of the hub cap.

against the inner margin of the ring, and'retaining means on the wheel body for said cover membe'r comprising a plurality of spring clips, each of which has a resilient loop extremity with one oft zone is in the vicinityof. thespring clips so that the force is applied more directly to'the clips in deflecting them and also that the oflset or 4. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and body, concentric cover members disposed in nested relation on the wheel, one of said members comprising a rlng and the other member'comprising a hub cap with the outer margin of the hub cap positioned for clamping co-operation leg of the loop in contact'with the inner margin of the ring and with the other leg in contact withthe outer margin of the hub cap, said clips shoulder 22 in the ring ll serves to act as-a reinforcing rib, at this pry-oil zone. p

. .I find. that very excellent resultsjmay be obtained from the standpoint of enhancingthe appearanceof the wheel by making the ring ll of white metal and by making thecap ii of stain less steel. Any suitable finish may be applied to the external surface of the ring H and thushighly desirable contrasting colors may be obtained as between the ring I4 and the hub cap I.

It will, of course, beunderstood that various details or construction may be varied through a extending through apertures in the inner margin .oi' 'the ring cover'member to a position inside of the hub cap.

5. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and body, cover members disposed in'nested relation on the wheel comprising an outer ring ,and a cen -tral hub cap seated on'theinner margin of the ring, retaining -'means for the cover members mountedon the wheel-body and comprising a plurality-of projections extending through apertures in one of said members into the interior of the hubcap and inretalning contact with each of said members inside of the hub cap. said members being slightly spaced directly radially outwardly of the retaining means to receive the end of a pry oiT tool for applying releasing pressure substantially directly to said retaining means to release said hub cap from retained engagement 5 with the wheel body. a

6. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and body, cover members disposed in nested relation on the wheel comprising an outer ring and a central hub cap seated on the inner margin 1 of the ring, retaining means for the cover members mounted on the wheel body and comprising a plurality of projections extending through apertures in one of said members and in retaining contact with each of said members inside of the i5 hub cap, said retaining means comprising a plurality of spring clips, each of which includes a radially outwardlyextending loop portion turned back upon the main body of the ring with the outermost extremity thereof in retaining engagement with an outer marginal edge or the hub cap and with the radially inner portion of the loop in retaining engagement with an inner mar ginal portion of the ring cover member.

7. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and body member. an outer circular cover extending over an outer side of the wheel and having an ofiset shouldered inner portion disposed over the body member, a hub cap disposed in the center of said cover having an inturned outer flange'ao over which said hub cap inturned flange is adapted to be pressed into retained position on the wheel and in clamping co-operation with said cover shoulder portion to clamp detachably the cover on the wheel, said cover being slightly spaced from said flange adjacent said shoulder portion to define an opening for receiving the .edge of a pry-oif tool for applying an ejecting pry-oil force directly to the outer flange of said hub cap.

8. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and body member, an outer circular cover extending over an outer side of the wheel and having an offset shouldered inner portion disposed over the body member, a hub cap disposed in the center of said cover having an inturned outer flange co-operable with said shoulder portion, and spring clips on the body member extending through apertures insaid shouldered inner portion, each including a resilient free turned outer portion over which said hub cap inturned flange is adapted to be pressed into retained position on the wheel and in clamping co-operation with said cover shoulder portion to clamp detachalbly the cover om the wheel, said cover being slightly spaced from said flange adjacent said shoulder portion to define an opening for receiving the edge of a pry-off toolfor applying an ejecting pry-off force directly to the outer flange of said hub cap, each of said spring clips also including a portion for engaging an edge of the aperture in the shouldered inner portion of the ,cover.

whereby said clips serve to center said cover and also to retain the cover on the wheel after the ejection of the hub cap therefrom.

' GEORGE ALBERT LYON. 

